Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Energy News Digest for March 12, 2019


Programming Note: The energy News Digest will be visiting the land of ERCOT March 14 to March 22. It will return with a slow drawl, wearing cowboy boots on March 25. Watch the News Digest’s Facebook and Twitter feeds for big news if warranted. Y’all.

The Hot Shots edition of the Energy News Digest is available on Facebook, and on Twitter.

To subscribe to the Energy News Digest, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS





HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

President Trump Tries Again with Bonneville Power Administration Sell-Off (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Washington State Utilities & Transportation Commission Approves Puget Sound Energy Sale Settlement (South Sound Business)

Fixing Culverts Could Save the Orcas – Who Will Pay? (Crosscut Seattle)

Conference Targets High-Speed Internet Access on the Olympic Peninsula (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Snow Restocks the Oregon Cascades (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      President Trump Tries Again with Bonneville Power Administration Sell-Off
2.      Shedding Federal Energy Assets – The Piece of the Trump Budget Proposal That Won’t Die
3.      Trump Budget Again Seeks Deep Cuts To EPA, DOE Renewables Research, Federal Energy Assets Sale
4.      Washington State Utilities & Transportation Commission Approves Puget Sound Energy Sale Settlement
5.      Energy Bills Are Soaring, Benton PUD Offers Help to Those Struggling to Pay
6.      More People Regain Power in Central Oregon Following Storm
7.      Alaska Electric Light & Power Expects Higher Than Usual Rates to Continue
8.      Oregon’s Small-Scale Nuclear Company Looks to Build 1st Plant in Idaho
9.      Sen. Tester Urges Prioritization of Federal Low-Income Energy Program
10.   Aberdeen Police Deputy Chief Timmons to retire March 15 – Will Continue as Grays Harbor PUD Commissioner
11.   American Public Power Association Report Shows Plunge in Proposed Coal Generation
12.   Fixing Culverts Could Save the Orcas – Who Will Pay?
13.   Species by the Dozen Moved North During Marine Heatwaves
14.   San Francisco Mulls Creating Its Own 100 Percent Renewables-Focused Utility from Pacific Gas & Electric Wreckage
15.   Maine Transmission Settlement Could Spur Clean Energy Investments in State
16.   Tiny Costa Rica Has a Green New Deal, Too. It Matters for the Whole Planet.
17.   Energy Adviser: Small Changes Can Save Money, Keep You Warm
18.   Conference Targets High-Speed Internet Access on the Olympic Peninsula
19.   U-S Warns Germany: Don’t Let Huawei Build Your 5G Networks or Else
20.   How the Internet Travels Across Oceans
21.   Virginia: The Stunning Demand for Power from Loudoun County’s Data Centers
22.   U-S Lawmakers Would Really Like to Force ‘Smart’ Devices to Be Less Hackable, Pretty Please
23.   Scooters Are Littering Sidewalks & Injuring Pedestrians. Can This Startup Bring Order to Chaos?
24.   Snow Restocks the Oregon Cascades
25.   California Agencies Dispute Colorado River Drought Plan
26.   Trump Administration Shortcuts Science to Give California Farmers More Water
27.   Fifth Grader Leading Tacoma Climate Strike: ‘Adults Need to Clean Up Their Act’
28.   Senate OKs Bill to Vacate Some Marijuana Convictions
29.   #Trashtag Challenge Going Viral, Helping the Environment
30.   At Age 30, World Wide Web Is ‘Not the Web We Wanted’
31.   Elon Musk to SEC: You Can’t Make Me Never Tweet
32.   Trump Admin Considers Using Social Media to Deny Benefits
33.   Geo-engineering the Sky: It Won’t Hurt a Bit!
34.   When Sheriffs Say No: Disputes Erupt Over Enforcing New Gun Laws
35.   Countries & Carriers Around the Globe Ground the 737 Max 8
36.   Shelton Superintendent Regrets Removing Pledge of Allegiance from School Assembly
37.   New Shelton-Area Motorsports Center Under Construction
38.   Record-Breaking Cold in Eastern Washington

WORD OF THE DAY

Winnow • \WIN-oh\ • verb - 1: to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also: to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2: to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3: to narrow or reduce 4: to blow on or fan

Bertie was stunned by the vast amount of material produced by his public records request. “I might as well toss this pile in the air and randomly pick a page rather than winnow it down by reading each document,” he whined to the unsympathetic secretary.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    President Trump Tries Again with Bonneville Power Administration Sell-Off (Portland Business Journal, OR)

2.    Shedding Federal Energy Assets – The Piece of the Trump Budget Proposal That Won’t Die (Washington Examiner)

3.    Trump Budget Again Seeks Deep Cuts To EPA, DOE Renewables Research, Federal Energy Assets Sale (Utility Dive)

4.    Washington State Utilities & Transportation Commission Approves Puget Sound Energy Sale Settlement (South Sound Business)

5.    Energy Bills Are Soaring, Benton PUD Offers Help to Those Struggling to Pay (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

6.    More People Regain Power in Central Oregon Following Storm (Associated Press)

7.    Alaska Electric Light & Power Expects Higher Than Usual Rates to Continue (Associated Press)

8.    Oregon’s Small-Scale Nuclear Company Looks to Build 1st Plant in Idaho (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

9.    Sen. Tester Urges Prioritization of Federal Low-Income Energy Program (Daily Energy Insider)

10. Aberdeen Police Deputy Chief Timmons to retire March 15 – Will Continue as Grays Harbor PUD Commissioner (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

11. American Public Power Association Report Shows Plunge in Proposed Coal Generation (American Public Power Association)

FISH & WILDLIFE

12. Fixing Culverts Could Save the Orcas – Who Will Pay? (Crosscut Seattle)

13. Species by the Dozen Moved North During Marine Heatwaves (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

14. San Francisco Mulls Creating Its Own 100 Percent Renewables-Focused Utility from Pacific Gas & Electric Wreckage (Renewable Energy World)

15. Maine Transmission Settlement Could Spur Clean Energy Investments in State (Energy News Network)

16. Tiny Costa Rica Has a Green New Deal, Too. It Matters for the Whole Planet. (NY Times)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

17. Energy Adviser: Small Changes Can Save Money, Keep You Warm (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

18. Conference Targets High-Speed Internet Access on the Olympic Peninsula (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

19. U-S Warns Germany: Don’t Let Huawei Build Your 5G Networks or Else (Gizmodo)

20. How the Internet Travels Across Oceans (NY Times)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

21. Virginia: The Stunning Demand for Power from Loudoun County’s Data Centers (Washington Business Journal, DC)

22. U-S Lawmakers Would Really Like to Force ‘Smart’ Devices to Be Less Hackable, Pretty Please (Gizmodo)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

23. Scooters Are Littering Sidewalks & Injuring Pedestrians. Can This Startup Bring Order to Chaos? (Washington Post)

“CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE” – WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

24. Snow Restocks the Oregon Cascades (Associated Press)

25. California Agencies Dispute Colorado River Drought Plan (Associated Press)

26. Trump Administration Shortcuts Science to Give California Farmers More Water (National Public Radio)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

27. Fifth Grader Leading Tacoma Climate Strike: ‘Adults Need to Clean Up Their Act’ (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

28. Senate OKs Bill to Vacate Some Marijuana Convictions (Associated Press)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

29. #Trashtag Challenge Going Viral, Helping the Environment (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

30. At Age 30, World Wide Web Is ‘Not the Web We Wanted’ (Associated Press)

31. Elon Musk to SEC: You Can’t Make Me Never Tweet (Gizmodo)

32. Trump Admin Considers Using Social Media to Deny Benefits (Mashable)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

33. Geo-engineering the Sky: It Won’t Hurt a Bit! (Atlantic Magazine)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

34. When Sheriffs Say No: Disputes Erupt Over Enforcing New Gun Laws (NY Times)

GENERAL NEWS

35. Countries & Carriers Around the Globe Ground the 737 Max 8 (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

36. Shelton Superintendent Regrets Removing Pledge of Allegiance from School Assembly (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

37. New Shelton-Area Motorsports Center Under Construction (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

38. Record-Breaking Cold in Eastern Washington (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

A Passenger Missed the Fatal Ethiopian Airlines Flight by 2 Minutes

Man To Drink Only Beer During Lent

Tri-Cities Wiener Dogs Take to the Ice

Man Ditches Car, Skis Down Mountain after Avalanche Closes Highway

SONG OF THE DAY

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain – Pinball Wizard

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.